Camellia plant named ‘Green 98-009’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Camellia  plant named ‘Green 98-009’, characterized by its upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; relatively long flowering period; and double red purple-colored flowers.

Botanical designation: Camellia sasanqua.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Green 98-009’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia, botanically known as Camellia sasanqua, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Green 98-009’.

The new Camellia is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fairhope, Ala. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely flowering Camellia cultivars having unique and attractive flower color and flower for an extended period of time.

The new Camellia originated from an open-pollination in 1997, in Fairhope, Ala., of Camellia sasanqua ‘Tanya’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Camellia sasanqua, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Camellia was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nursery environment in Fairhope, Ala. in October, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia by terminal cuttings taken in a controlled greenhouse environment in Fairhope, Ala. since August, 2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Camellia are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Green 98-009’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Green 98-009’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Relatively small leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. Relatively long flowering period.     -   7. Double red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parent, ‘Tanya’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia are more upright than and not as         spreading and open as plants of ‘Tanya’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia have lighter green-colored leaves         than plants of ‘Tanya’.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘Tanya’ differ in flower form         as plants of ‘Tanya’ have single type flowers.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia sasanqua ‘Yuletide’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fairhope, Ala., plants of the new Camellia differed from plants of the ‘Yuletide’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Camellia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Yuletide’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia had smaller leaves than plants of         ‘Yuletide’.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Yuletide’.     -   4. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘Yuletide’ differed in flower         form as plants of ‘Yuletide’ had single type flowers.     -   5. Plants of the new Camellia flowered for a longer period of         time than plants of ‘Yuletide’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Green 98-009’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical leaves and flowers of ‘Green 98-009’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Fairhope, Ala. in containers in an outdoor nursery during the autumn and under commercial production conditions. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures averaged 7° C. Plants were grown under 30% polypropylene shadecloth. Plants used for the photographs were nine years from planting, and plants used for the description were 30 months from planting. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia sasanqua ‘Green 98-009’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Camellia sasanqua ‘Tanya’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Camellia             sasanqua, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two months at             temperatures of 27° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three months at             temperatures of 21° C. to 27° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About four             months at temperatures of 27° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About five             months at temperatures of 21° C. to 27° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; close to 167D in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial, evergreen shrub;             upright and columnar plant habit; vigorous growth habit.             Densely foliated; compact, dense and bushy plants. Freely             flowering habit with numerous double flowers per plant.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about 18 to 20             lateral branches develop per plant. Pinching enhances             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of flowers.—About 71 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 25 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 10 cm to 20 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Internode length: About 1.5 cm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.             Color: Close to 197A.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 5 cm. Width: About 2.25 cm to 2.5 cm. Shape: Ovate to             lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Acute to obtuse. Margin:             Crenate. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing leaves, upper             surface: Initially close to N199B becoming closer to 146A             with development. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             146B. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N189A;             venation, close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to 143C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 3.5 mm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper surface: Close to 139C. Color, lower surface: Close to             144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia             typically flower from mid-October to late November in             Fairhope, Ala. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Flowers arranged singly             at terminals with usually about six to eight flowers and             flower buds per apex; freely flowering habit. Flowers face             upward or outward. Flowers rotate and rose-like; double             flower form with numerous petals and petaloids per flower.             Flowers sessile.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about five to six days on the plant.         -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.         -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Flower bud.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 46C.         -   Petals/petaloids.—Arrangement: Double flower form; about 26             to 30 petals and petaloids arranged in multiple whorls.             Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Width: About 0.5 cm to 2 cm.             Shape: Obcordate to orbicular. Apex: Retuse to rounded.             Base: Acute to acuminate. Margin: Entire or irregularly             lobed. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 63A.             Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 63A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About four fused in a single whorl.             Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape: Orbicular.             Apex: Mucronate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture,             upper surface: Glabrous. Texture, lower surface: Tomentose.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to N167A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower: About             four. Filament length: About 1 cm to 1.5 cm. Filament color:             Close to 2D. Anther shape: Deltoid. Anther length: About             1 mm. Anther color: Close to 15A. Pollen amount: Scarce to             moderate. Pollen color: Close to 15A. Gynoecium: Quantity of             pistils per flower: Typically one. Pistil length: About 1 cm             to 1.2 cm. Style length: About 0.8 cm to 1 cm. Style color:             Close to 193D. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close             to 193D. Ovary color: Close to 193D.         -   Fruits.—Length: About 1.25 cm. Diameter: About 1.25 cm.             Color: Close to N200A.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm. Color:             Close to N200A. -   Weather/temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Camellia have been     observed to be tolerant to rain and wind and to tolerate     temperatures from about −23° C. to about 49° C. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants have been observed to be resistant     to Glomerella cingulata. Plants of the new Camellia have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to     Camellias. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘Green 98- 009’ as illustrated and described. 